Sr. Controller

Howard; São Paulo; Remote; BRL 599,000 - 898,000; Full time

Job summary

Howard Financial is seeking a Senior Controller to lead a fast-growing Short Term Rental (STR) vertical. You will own end-to-end financial reporting for a portfolio of sophisticated clients, ensure US GAAP compliance, and supervise a remote team of Senior Accountants to Bookkeepers.

You’ll navigate complex trust accounting structures, drive a tight month-end close, and serve as the primary financial advisor to client leadership.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years in accounting/finance with 3+ years in controller/senior leadership.
• Deep STR, PM, or hospitality experience.
• US GAAP expertise with multi-entity consolidations.
• Mastery of trust accounting and owner funds management.
• Strong client-facing skills with CEOs and PE investors.
• Fluent English, written and verbal.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end financial reporting for a STR vertical, ensuring US GAAP compliance and accuracy.
• Lead, mentor, and review a remote team from Senior Accountants to Bookkeepers.
• Oversee trust accounting structures and owner funds management.
• Drive a tight month-end close and resolve discrepancies with PMS data.
• Act as strategic financial advisor to clients, explaining variances and cash flow.
• Standardize workflows and scale controls as the vertical grows to 1,000+ properties.
• Coordinate external audits and ensure compliant documentation.

Skills

US GAAP

Trust accounting

Client facing

Tech savvy

Ownership mindset

English proficiency

Leadership experience

Tools

QuickBooks Online

NetSuite

Sage Intacct

Streamline

Guesty

Track

Escapia

Job description

Howard Financial is a full-service back-office solution for high-growth companies with bookkeeping, payroll, and bespoke reporting needs that require accuracy, timeliness, and institutional-quality reporting without the burden of full-time staff. We are an experienced team of bookkeepers and administrators with multiple decades of combined experience across industries allowing companies to focus on their core business while we handle the rest.

Founded in 2023, our team of ~100 professionals supports ~75 clients across a diverse range of industries. We recently reached $6M of contracted ARR and are growing rapidly (over 200% LTM growth).

We are looking for a high-caliber Senior Controller to lead one of our fastest-growing Short Term Rental (STR) verticals. You will be the financial owner of a portfolio of sophisticated clients, ensuring that every balance sheet is bulletproof and every report is investor-ready.

This is not a "passive review" role. You will lead a team of Senior Accountants, Accountants, and Bookkeepers, driving the month-end close process and serving as the primary technical point of contact for our clients' leadership teams. You must be comfortable navigating messy data, complex trust accounting structures, and the fast-paced nature of a scaling startup.

What You’ll Do

• Portfolio Leadership: Own the end-to-end financial reporting for a vertical of Short Term Rental clients, ensuring US GAAP compliance and institutional-grade accuracy.
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and review the work of a remote team (Senior Accountants to Bookkeepers), fostering a culture of accountability and precision.
• Trust Accounting Oversight: Manage and reconcile complex "owner funds" and trust accounting structures—ensuring the separation of client funds is impeccable.
• Month-End Mastery: Drive a tight month-end close process, identifying and resolving discrepancies in PMS data (Streamline, Guesty, Track, etc.) vs. General Ledgers.
• Client-Facing Communication: Act as the strategic financial advisor for clients, explaining P&L variances, cash flow projections, and operational health.
• Process Scaling: Standardize workflows and implement internal controls as the vertical grows from 100 to 1,000+ properties.
• Audit & Compliance: Coordinate external audits and ensure that all tax, sales tax, and regulatory filings are supported by clean documentation.

Ideal Candidate

• 7–10+ years of experience in accounting/finance, with at least 3 years in a Controller or Senior Leadership role.
• Industry Expertise: Deep experience in Short Term Rentals (STR), Property Management, or Hospitality is a must.
• US GAAP Expert: Comprehensive knowledge of US GAAP and multi-entity consolidations.
• Master of Trust Accounting: You understand the nuances of managing funds on behalf of property owners.
• Client-Facing Professionalism: You can hold your own in a room (or Zoom) with CEOs and PE-investors.
• System Agnostic & Tech Savvy: Proficiency in QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, or Sage Intacct, and expert-level comfort with PMS tools, specifically Streamline, Guesty, Track, or Escapia.
• Ownership Mentality: You don't just find problems; you "chase" them until they are resolved.
• Native-level or Fully Fluent English: Exceptional written and verbal communication is non-negotiable.

Nice to Have

• Prior experience in an accounting firm or BPO managing multi-client portfolios.
• Experience with institutional or Private Equity-backed hospitality clients.
• Advanced data visualization skills (PowerBI, Tableau, or advanced Excel).

Why Howard?

• High-Level Complexity: Solve real-world financial puzzles for sophisticated US investment platforms.
• True Ownership: You are the "CEO of your vertical." We provide the platform; you provide the excellence.
• Rapid Scale: We are growing at record speed—your career path to Director is limited only by your performance.
• Transparent Culture: Clear expectations, clean scopes, and no "corporate fluff."